Scouting beds?

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Scouting beds?

Unread postby scooters » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:21 am

Hi Everyone,
This will be my first post. I have read through some of these forums for about a year now and finally decided to join. I have become comsumed with bowhunting since I just started about 2 yrs ago entering my 3rd. Since I started bow hunting I leared more in the last 3 than all my gun seasons combined. I have been hunting for about 30 yrs. I'am very interested in learning as much as possible on this site. Well I hunt on our family farm not to far from Dan's neck of the woods. I would like to start using some of the Beast's hunting ideas and techniques. So I need help on where to start so if I can ask a few questions.
1. On scouting when is a good time to look for bedding areas (is now) and how close can I get to them?
2. Setting up the trees stands to bedding areas how close and do you leave them up year after year on private land?
3. I found several beding areas but over the years but how do you tell buck from doe areas?
4 Topo and aerial maps what's the best source for these is there any recommendations on reading these?

Thanks again for your help.


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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby backstraps » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:48 am

[quote="scooters"]Hi Everyone,
This will be my first post. I have read through some of these forums for about a year now and finally decided to join. I have become comsumed with bowhunting since I just started about 2 yrs ago entering my 3rd. Since I started bow hunting I leared more in the last 3 than all my gun seasons combined. I have been hunting for about 30 yrs. I'am very interested in learning as much as possible on this site. Well I hunt on our family farm not to far from Dan's neck of the woods. I would like to start using some of the Beast's hunting ideas and techniques. So I need help on where to start so if I can ask a few questions.

1. On scouting when is a good time to look for bedding areas (is now) and how close can I get to them?
Post season scouting is the best time of the year to scout. Without the foilage you can see evidence more clear. You also dont have as much worry about bumping deer out of the bedding areas since it will be 7 or more months before you are trying to kill them.
2. Setting up the trees stands to bedding areas how close and do you leave them up year after year on private land?
From what I have learned on this site, depending on if you are going to a.m. hunt or p.m. hunt the bedding area would help determining how close you should get to the bedding area to hunt it. As far as setting up stands to hunt a bedding area, staying portable would probably be the best bet. As you most likely will not want to hunt the particular bedding area more than a couple-few times per season.
3. I found several beding areas but over the years but how do you tell buck from doe areas?
Doe bedding areas will for one have doe tracks in them. There will also more than often be several beds sometimes in a circle figure if you will. Also buck bedding areas will most likely have rubs around the bedding area. Good buck bedding areas with rubs,will have some rubs around the bed that are older rubs from years previous. Buck beds will also be larger in size than doe beds.
4 Topo and aerial maps what's the best source for these is there any recommendations on reading these?
I know many on here use Google Earth, Google Maps, etc. I like TopoQuest.com FlashEarth.com, and http://epamap14.epa.gov/ejmap/entry.html. Trimble Outdoors is one I use a lot.

Thanks again for your help.



I am new on here. So hopefully others will reply to your post with more info as well. :)
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby kenn1320 » Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:58 am

Seriously if I lived or had property in Dans neck of the woods, Id be calling him to come walk my land with me. He will cut YEARS off your learning curve and it will be specific to your hunting location. You will learn things that will work anywhere you decide to hunt. I attended a bootcamp and that gave me the knowledge to find beds. I can find them easily now. I have posted some videos showing how to locate beds and what they look like. If you cant get Dan out to your place due to $$$, buy both his dvd's(hill country and marsh bucks). It will walk you thru what your looking for, but nothing would beat one on one with Dan. Look for info on his spring scouting day and attend if possible. As for scouting now, Im doing it. Its hot out, the sign is hard to spot, but if you dont have the info needed for this season, its not to late to get out there looking.
"Its about taking the right shot at the right time with good equipment." Dan Infalt
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby dan » Sun Aug 05, 2012 7:53 am

Hi Scooters, and welcome to the Beast! 8-)

1. On scouting when is a good time to look for bedding areas (is now) and how close can I get to them?

Post season winter and spring prior to green up... You will be able to see the sign from the season before really well, you will be able to see a longer distance, and really get a feel for why the buck is bedding where he is, and exactly how close you can set up.


2. Setting up the trees stands to bedding areas how close and do you leave them up year after year on private land?

To determine how close to set a stand to a bedding area, I look at the buck beds, get in the bed and look to see how far the buck can see, I think about what he can hear and smell, and I set up just barley past that. Some of my stand positions are 50 yards from the bed, some are 200. The closer the better.
3. I found several beding areas but over the years but how do you tell buck from doe areas?

Bucks bed in a specific position, for a specific reason. They are loners who only worry about themselves. Buck beds will have a good escape, and they will be set up to see you, hear you, and or smell you coming. Does bed in groups usually, and form a circle with each one watching a different direction ready to alert the rest if a situation arises. Buck bedding areas, especially primary ones, have multiple beds too, but the difference is there all big beds, and not in circle fashion. Does will occasionally bed in a buck bedding area too..
Some buck bedding areas ( but not all ) will be marked with rubs right at the beds...

I would suggest you purchase my "hunting marsh bucks" DVD... Not trying to force a sale on you, I just think the info in that DVD ( Which was filmed locally ) will answer all your questions. Its available in the store on this site, at Picketts in Rome, or at Rivers edge meat market at Rome, or just stop over and pick up a copy.
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby DEERSLAYER » Sun Aug 05, 2012 12:38 pm

scooters wrote:...4 Topo and aerial maps what's the best source for these is there any recommendations on reading these?...

Welcome to the Beast scooters!

Another mapping site that I like is http://mapper.acme.com/ Just click on the rotating globe when you want the search box out of your way.
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby scooters » Mon Aug 06, 2012 7:50 am

Thanks everyone.
I'd like to attending the spring class. I've been thinking I wish I had somebody to go over a plan of attack on our property for awhile. I still might have Dan do this but maybe the dvd would be a good start.
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby DEERSLAYER » Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:55 am

scooters wrote:Thanks everyone.
I'd like to attending the spring class. I've been thinking I wish I had somebody to go over a plan of attack on our property for awhile. I still might have Dan do this but maybe the dvd would be a good start.

It will. Heck, if you don't like it I will refund your money. :lol:
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby scooters » Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:32 am

I just picked up the swamp buck video yesterday and watched it. WOW the technique is simple find the beds and kill them. I know its not as simple as that because there is so much prep work to get to that point. I still have lots to learn about the signs and reading the surroundings. Dan the one thing I was left with thinking about was the little signs and details you talked about like rubs and what you are looking for etc. I supposed these are all learned by expeirence. Can you tell me what you look for in arial maps for farmland vs the marsh areas that may hold bucks?
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby dan » Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:32 am

scooters wrote:I just picked up the swamp buck video yesterday and watched it. WOW the technique is simple find the beds and kill them. I know its not as simple as that because there is so much prep work to get to that point. I still have lots to learn about the signs and reading the surroundings. Dan the one thing I was left with thinking about was the little signs and details you talked about like rubs and what you are looking for etc. I supposed these are all learned by expeirence. Can you tell me what you look for in arial maps for farmland vs the marsh areas that may hold bucks?

We are working on a DVD with Andrea that will cover the tactics specifically related to farm land.
Basically its going to matter if its hilly or relatively flat.
If its has any hills buy my hill country DVD, if its relatively flat what your looking for is the highest and the lowest elevations, over looked spots where people seldom go or walk right past, or fingers/points of woodlots that jut out into open areas.
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby backstraps » Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:44 am

dan wrote: We are working on a DVD with Andrea that will cover the tactics specifically related to farm land.
Basically its going to matter if its hilly or relatively flat.
If its has any hills buy my hill country DVD, if its relatively flat what your looking for is the highest and the lowest elevations, over looked spots where people seldom go or walk right past, or fingers/points of woodlots that jut out into open areas.



Dan, any idea when the DVD with Andrea will be available to us?
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Re: Scouting beds?

Unread postby dan » Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:32 am

Hoping for spring...


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